Tag Archives: Eid

Mar3

Moon’s Ramadan by Natasha Khan Kazi

Posted on March 3, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

This beautiful lyrical book has a simple premise of the moon looking down on people celebrating Ramadan as it circles the Earth, but stands out as being unique thanks to the poetic language and engaging illustrations. Each spread shows moon in a different phase over a different country, and the joy, activities and worship that Muslims are partaking in during the blessed month. I’m embarrassed to say, I didn’t realize that the author is also the illustrator until I sat down to write this review, and honestly it makes sense, as the story text and illustrations work seamlessly together. The tone of the book, the details in the pictures, and the rich language make this a good read for a large audience. Little ones probably won’t fully understand the poetry, but they will be mesmerized none-the-less and feel the excitement. My three year old calls the moon all year round, the “Ramadan Moon” and he understood that the Moon in the story is excited seeing us celebrate and worship. He consistently would still be peeking in windows or searching the scenes, not quite ready for me to turn the page long after the text was done being read. Older kids will appreciate the shared global bonds of Muslims and the cultural specifics too. They will grasp the information shared and beliefs touched upon in the flowing words that do not preach. My only criticism is that the book starts with Moon saying, “Hello.” In an Islamic centered book I would have expected to see Assalamualaikum, especially since it appears on the page where moon is above Egypt, so I’m not sure why the English greetings is used. The book has a glossary and notes at the end making it a great addition to Muslim and non Muslim spaces alike. I plan to read the book for a Masjid story time as the large hardback book will work just as well for a group of kids as it does at bed time.

Told from a personified Moon’s perspective, the book begins with Moon smiling at Earth as people all over the world excitedly point and look up at her, but once they see her, they rush off to prepare for the month. Over Turkey, the Ramadan Drummer awakens sleepy people for suhoor and over Indonesia he sees families gathering for iftar. As each day passes Moon grows fuller watching the children do good deeds and people sharing their wealth.

Nights of Taraweeh and listening to the Quran over Somalia, sharing treats in the United Kingdom, and interfaith among neighbors in the United States bring joy to Moon. And as the waning crescent sees henna being put on hands in Dubai the month is coming to an end. People once again look to the sky, but they cannot see Moon in Argentina, Moon is new. It is Chaand Raat and then it is Eid. Moon is back in Egypt watching people celebrate and then the world returns to looking up at Moon and she beams with love and gratitude.

There are diverse characters of a variety of skin tones, mobilities, ages, body size and abilities featured all throughout the book in a positive and inclusive normalizing manner. The backmatter makes the concepts more accessible and the book work on different layers. I really enjoyed the book and am excited to share it. I purchased mine at Crescent Moon Store where using my initials ISL (Islamic School Librarian) will save you 10% it is also available here at Amazon Even my local public library has it on the shelves already! Happy Ramadan!

Mar1

Ramadan Nights by Jenny Molendyk Divleli illustrated by Halime Nur Sevim

Posted on March 1, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Ramadan Nights by Jenny Molendyk Divleli illustrated by Halime Nur Sevim

This rhyming softcover picture book sets the tone of the month with its large heartfelt images on cardstock thick pages. The book mentions tarawih, reading Quran, suhoor, iftar, compassion, Laylatul Qadr, eid, but does so in a way that reflects what Muslim kids know and love about the month. It is not overly descriptive, nor does it define the terms. It shows Muslim kids in Ramadan living their lives and draws out the emotional joy felt in acts of ibadah, not in the gifts and parties alone. The rhyme works and isn’t terribly forced and the 8.5 by 11 size and the introductory framing of major Ramadan activities makes the book a good addition for toddlers and up. I plan to use this for a masjid story time for Muslim kids ages 4-9, but it can be used in non Muslim settings easily as well.

The book starts out with decorating the home for Ramadan, as the city decorates outside too. Ramadan has arrived, the moon has been seen with binoculars, and Tarawih at the mosque is where everyone is praying, and kids are playing. Mornings start with the Ramadan drummer waking people up for suhoor, but mom is already up cooking. The first few days of fasting are hard waiting for iftar, implying it gets easier.

The kids and their parents make duas and thank Allah for their blessings as well as share their blessings with neighbors as they learn compassion. The kids practice reading Qur’an every day with Grandma and before you know it, it is the last ten nights and Laylatul Qadr and then eid, alhumdulillah. The 32 page book ends with prayers of gratitude and hope that Ramadan will be seen again.

The book really is well done, there is no plot or story, but it introduces the month to little ones, reminds older ones what to expect and does so with accuracy and mirroring. The book will lend itself to spark discussions about what a readers’ family can look forward to in the month, how one should behave in a masjid, perhaps some Quran goals and some appreciation for parents. The poor mom helps decorate, stays up early to cook suhoor, cooks yummy iftar, and lays out Eid clothes all while wearing hijab. InshaAllah a point to mention when reading how amazing moms (and dads) are in making Ramadan memories while fasting themselves.

I purchased mine from https://crescentmoonstore.com/ if you use my initials at checkout ISL (Islamic School Librarian) you can save 10% or click this link directly to go to the book.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Feb6

Crescent Moon Friends by Wadia Samadi & Mo Duffy Cobb illustrated by Lisa Lypowy

Posted on February 6, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Crescent Moon Friends by Wadia Samadi & Mo Duffy Cobb illustrated by Lisa Lypowy

This 32 page book does not read like a new release, it looks like something you would have found in the early 2000s when the recent war in Afghanistan started and books about refugees from the region were popping up. Admittedly back then, I probably would have been more forgiving that the smiling illustrations showed Islam in action and two characters from different cultures coming together through dialogue, respect, acceptance, and fun, but for reasons I’ll articulate, this book reads very superficial, dismissive and erroneous at times. I am not Canadian or Afghani, I am a neighbor to both as a Pakistani American, and the book is OWN voice, so if I am just being overly picky, or sensitive, and am wrong, I am happy to acknowledge it, but before you push back, please read the entire review.

The description of the book says:

Crescent Moon Friends introduces the reader to two best friends Amelia and Aisha. While the pair is from Canada and Afghanistan, the girls reconcile their differences through exploration of the values they share. This book initiates a family conversation about Islam, explores tradition and language, and brings the girls closer together as a result. It is our hope that the book will be used as a teaching tool to help children understand the cultural backgrounds of others, and to create a warm environment for refugees resettling in Atlantic Canada from the Middle East.

This picture book is for both non- Muslims who are living in the West, and Muslims who are living outside their home countries. The focus of the book is on tradition, not religion, it also captures the significance of Islam. This is a valuable title for library and classroom use.

So first of all, I feel like the foundation of the book is othering Islam in making it seem that this book is an introduction of Islam to non Muslim with the premise being that Islam is what, a foreign religion? Numerous Canadians are both Afghani and Muslim in 2022, before I even began the book I was already fearing the framing. Then it identifies Afghanistan as the Middle East, which just made me really question the accuracy. Somehow after that first paragraph, the book then tries to say that the book is not about religion, but traditions. While part of me appreciates that distinction, the second part of the sentence saying that it wants to capture the significance of Islam really shows the poor focus of the book.

Let me pause here though and answer a question I’m sure many of you are wondering, “why review a book that is not well written, and is not widely promoted or known about.” The answer is simple, a book such as this may not sell in big numbers and be regularly seen online and in stores, but they often do find their way into libraries and classrooms. They are often shelved to fill “diversity” or “inclusion” quotas and thus their messaging does often reach our children. I also highlight books like this, not just to pick on this particular book, but to show that OWN voices doesn’t make something automatically correct. If this is the author’s own experience or is a memoir, there is some leeway, but saying that Afghanistan is in the Middle East or that Salam is Dari, not Arabic, or that it is “naan tandori” instead of “tandoori naan,” just makes the book seem inauthentic. Often publishers, editors, agents perhaps don’t want to push back and appear uncultured or racist, so they don’t question details, is the only thing I can think of as to why this trend continues to perpetuate. Which is also why the importance of having a piece sensitivity read cannot be overlooked, even when the author is writing about their own religion or culture. Yes, I too am only one person saying I have issues, but beta and sensitivity readers such as @muslimbookreviewers are four people and we discuss based on what we know and between the four of us there are a lot of singular specialties and a lot of overlapping expertise that really help books get it right. Sorry for my rant, back to the book at hand…

The book starts with the white Canadian girl camping with her family and wondering what the upcoming school year will bring. The text says. “she loved to look at the crescent moon.” Already the writing is clearly weak, who loves to look at a particular phase of the moon, does she not like the waxing gibbous or whole moon? The next spread introduces Aisha, she is standing in the foreground with a mosque behind her and the text says she loves the moon too. “There was a crescent moon on top of the mosque where her family went to pray.” Aisha has her hair loosely covered, and immediately we are connecting Aisha to her faith and to Amelia through their love of the crescent moon. Interestingly, Aisha who would presumably love the crescent as it symbols holidays and month changes in the lunar calendar is presented as liking the moon because of it decoration aesthetic. It is where her family went to pray, sure it reminds her of home, but chances are she didn’t often go to the masjid as culturally most women don’t, so I’m not sure that this spread really has any accuracy or value, it just sounds good…if that.

The next spread is the first day of 6th grade with the teacher introducing a new friend to the class. If it is the first day of school, aren’t they all new to the class? Aisha recalls that she left Afghanistan because there was a war in her country and school wasn’t safe, if she is twelve or thirteen, I’m not sure what caused the change in real life for the war timeline being referenced. On a more relatable note it mentions that she missed swinging in her grandfather’s garden with cousins as well.

The next page showing the girls being silly with pencils to look like a bunny and walrus is sweet. It shows language isn’t necessary, that silliness is universal and it is cute. The girls then show how they share things unique to their culture with one another. Aisha teaches her how to say Salam, hello in Dari, how to dance the Attan, about Eid, the most important Muslim holiday, and about a game with stones called anjaaq panjaaq. But this is wrong, Salam is Arabic, Eid is Arabic for festival or holiday so what Eid is the book referring to? Also why not tell how to play the game, or how to do the dance or how Eid is celebrated? If the book is to build cultural (or religious) bridges, thus far I’ve only learned how to stick pencils in my mouth to look like a walrus or behind my head to look like a rabbit.

It is then Amelia’s turn to share Canadian culture and the book picks: ghosts, goblins, Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny. I find this a bit offensive on Canadians’ behalf, really their holidays are what make them who they are? Later we will learn that Amelia is not religious, yet the symbols for religious holidays of Easter and Christmas are what are being presented. Additionally, the holidays mentioned are not even unique to Canada: Christmas, Halloween, and Easter, are the same in America at the very least.

The next spread shows their moms becoming friends and the girls playing in Aisha’s mom’s scarves, hijabs, shoes and make-up. I find the joy sweet, but I wonder if the book as stated in the details by the author/publisher is to help refugees- is this a bit misleading- that they are settled and have an abundance of clothing accurate? Often refugees need assistance, will a book like this send the wrong message about helping those fleeing war get established, by not just avoiding talking about need, but celebrating surplus?

Aisha is then shown helping Amelia with math and when Aisha needs help with a Halloween costume, Amelia is there. The book really is doubling down on the importance of Halloween to Canadian culture, which again feels off. But also most Muslims don’t celebrate pagan holidays, so I’m not sure I like the positioning that it is cultural to celebrate and that to be Canadian one must engage in the rituals. Whether you see it as pagan or just assimilation, either way it doesn’t sit right for a book aimed at finding common ground between diverse individuals. Math is neutral and universal, why not have Amelia help Aisha with something also less controversial?

The next spread shows Aisha missing Afghanistan, and Amelia being a supportive friend and wanting to visit Afghanistan too. Unfortunately, once again the weak writing has her sounding like an adult missing the laughter in the air and hope and flowers, not a kid talking. When Amelia joins in, naan tandori is mentioned, which is backward, if it is the same as in Urdu it should be tandoori naan. She also wishes they could wear colorful Afghani clothes and dance the Attan, which are two acts not limited to Afghanistan. They can put on traditionally clothing and dance in Canada.

The story then takes a huge pivot and shows Aisha and her mom praying with the very vague text of her mom “described her way of life, Islam as the peace in her heart, and said turning to Allah in prayer would keep Aisha happy.” The text seems misplaced and the messaging completely pointless, why not frame it as what Aisha believes or what her faith teaches her? It almost comes across as her mom forcing the belief on her and this being the first Aisha has heard about it. The next page is set up the same, but shows Amelia’s faith to be kindness and compassion while they sit in nature. I think the intent was to be positive, but when you have two people representing entire populations, all sorts of stereotypes come in to play that either have to be so general as to be accurate or more specific to the two characters at hand. In this case I feel the takeaway is that holidays define Canadians, even religious holidays, but they are fine to participate in because Amelia is not part of organized religion.

Thus the next spread of Aisha’s family celebrating Christmas with Amelia makes sense in the story, but I find alarming because it normalizes abandoning your own religious convictions and adopting another faiths in order to fit in and assimilate. Imagine a teacher reading this book to a first grade class and little Muslim children who demand that Christmas and Easter stay out of public schools are hearing messaging normalizing the holidays for people of all faiths. Imagine a recent immigrant or refugee further feeling pressured to adopt these practices because they want to be seen as “good citizens” or be accepted by the larger community. The contrast of Aisha’s family celebrating Christmas is Amelia helping make star and moon shaped cookies for Eid.

The story comes back to the girls love of the moon, one as a dreamer, the other as a scientist. It tells of other firsts Aisha experiences and Amelia learning about Aisha and her faith. I’m not sure what a genie lamp has to do with Islam, but it is in the illustration with a hamsa hand, a book, a tasbih, and a crescent with a minaret coming out.

Aisha then starts to wear hijab and Amelia learns how to wear one too. No details about what or why hijab is worn or given, and in the illustrations it doesn’t completely cover anyone’s hair. The girls ski together and drink hot chocolate and living in Canada allows Aisha “to be the girl she was meant to be.” I’m not sure what that means, but that seems to be the resolution to the book before it circle backs to the mom and concludes.

I think on the very surface the book is a nice idea, but the conflation of what it means to be Canadian with observance of holidays and the lacking details of what it means to be Muslim Afghani make the book miss so much and ultimately do more harm than good if shared.

Nov11

An Andalus Adventure by S.N. Jalali

Posted on November 11, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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I truly am glad I read this book. I love historical fiction, visiting Spain is on my bucket list, this book has a map, details about what is historical what is fiction, has Islam woven in to the heart and soul of the story and characters, and yet it was a hard read. The first few pages grip you, the last 50 bring it all together, but the middle 250 were hit and miss in this lower YA/upper MG book. I honestly had to force myself to keep reading. My teen and tween son couldn’t get past 38 pages or so, and I’ve asked around and no one I know that started the book, finished it. I think ultimately there are just too many characters, too many points of view, that even though the history is rich, the literary points all in order, their isn’t enough character connection to hold the readers through the wandering details. This author’s style is a bit more slow, but I think in the House of Ibn Kathir series, the setting of being in school and having friend problems is relatable to readers; boarding horses on to a boat, deciding to wage war, and going in to battle are not familiar concepts, and without the emotional connection it loses momentum. The climax is nice but ultimately rather lackluster, and the beauty of characters taking shahada, Jews being freed, Solomon’s table, an old lady with a premonition, and a character dying are just not enough to keep the story in reader’s hands, unfortunately.

SYNOPSIS:

The summary might make the book seem fast paced, and while it does constantly move forward to a clear destination, it isn’t a “buckle your seatbelt and hang on” type of story. The setting is Northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula in 711 CE, 92 years after the Hijrah. The book opens with two young siblings Ben and Bella, overlooking the coast, dreading their lives under Visigoth oppression, and hiding their Jewish culture and faith. It then jumps to the Governor of Ceuta, Count Julian (Ilyan), awaiting to meet with Umayyad leader Tariq ibn-Ziyad. He is hoping to rescue his daughter from the court of King Roderick and convince the Muslim General to enter Iberia, restore the rightful king, and free the people essentially. Add in voices from Qasim, a young Berber, and Jacob a captured Iberian, and the stage is set to get everything in order to cross the straights, survey the enemy, take on the King, and introduce Islam to the new land.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I absolutely love the Islam and the history and the fictional liberties. I love that the book is clean, although, I do wonder if more information about Lady Florinda would have helped the reader understand her father’s desperation, I do understand the vagueness, but it is a glaring omission that keeps the reader curious. Ultimately I wanted more backstory. The little given about the characters was engaging. I loved the teasing about being a shepherd, Jacob coming to love Islam, Bella not wanting to marry, but it seemed to always stop short of sweeping me away. I didn’t cry (SPOILER) when Hisham died, I barely knew him. I didn’t feel the urgency to hide and escape from Leander’s proposal. It set up to add depth regarding Old Mother Magda, the Cave of Secrets, and the unverified death of the king, but after being stated it was never mentioned again or resolved for any real purpose.

All that aside, I think the book has value, it is just really dry in spots, a lot of spots, and given the vocabulary, the changing narrators, the choppiness between chapters, and the history, it is hard to keep reading or be anxious to pick up once you have put it down. So with all that in mind, I think the book would be great to use in a classroom setting. You could read a chapter Monday, and then pick it back up on Thursday and not worry that no one remembers anything because it is focusing on new characters anyway. In a middle school, or upper elementary the book would be a great crossover between History, English, and Islam classes. The book would naturally lend itself to the students keeping character journals, the supplements and backmatter would allow for references and insight in to real history, and I think the book would do really well in this set up to connect with the audience.

The Epilogue was nice, but a little disjointed. I appreciated the updates on the characters and it showing Muslims and people of other faiths coexisting and being accepting even within families, but the connection to the story was a little lost. Similarly, I love that it mentioned Abbas Ibn Firnas, but I don’t know that most kids know enough about him to know what is being hinted at and what the outcome was of his flight at the end.

FLAGS:

Death, war, battles, killing, nothing graphic, very tame, not graphic or detailed gore.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t know that I could get middle school students to read the book for a book club, it would have to be motivated by a grade to get through it in a classroom setting I’m afraid. See above to read my thoughts on how to present it.

I purchased my book on Amazon and will receive a few pennies if you decide to purchase a copy using this link.

Apr30

Mr. Men Little Miss Happy Eid by Roger Hargreaves

Posted on April 30, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Mr. Men Little Miss Happy Eid by Roger Hargreaves

The nostalgic cast has reassembled recently, and now have an Eid title available. Whether you grew up with Mr. Men and Little Miss or have never heard of them before, this book covers the basics of an Eid day celebration with (familiar) characters such as: Mr Greedy, Mr Bump, Miss Splendid, Mr Funny, Little Miss Scatterbrain and more. The characters’ friend Aleena is fasting for Ramadan, the colorful crew help her to plan, and finally they all join in for the celebration. The 32 pages are silly and random at best, but with a little discussion to help bridge the British to American English (if needed) ages three and up will enjoy the funny characters, seeing Aleena in hijab, and relating to the activities mentioned. I love that generosity and forgiveness are included in the messaging, but was really irritated that a musical band is how they celebrate Eid night, and that Eid is compared to Christmas with gift giving. The book is not written by a Muslim, so perhaps I should be forgiving about the Christian holiday comparison, but why write a book about Muslim joy, if you won’t let the Islamic holiday be enough on its own? Thank you to Shifa @Muslimmommyblog for gifting me this after making fun of me for being old!

Mr Greedy’s friend Aleena is fasting, and Mr Greedy breaks his fast nearly every hour so he is helping her. Little Miss Inventor is out with her telescope and sees the moon, it is time for Eid.

The days before Eid had been spent cleaning and decorating with the help of Mr Rush and Mr Bump. They weren’t very helpful.

Ramadan is also a time of generosity. The football club receives donation, but what will they do with Mr Silly’s grandfather clock donation.

Aleena puts mehndi on and is smart enough to not let Little Miss Naughty help, Little Miss Scatterbrain was not so wise.

They all get dressed up, they give each other gifts, and share a meal. They then all settle arguments and forgive each other.

Finally, they head to an Eid fair in town and eat treats while they watch a music show. The book concludes with some factual information about Ramadan, Eid, and Zakat.

Title is available on Amazon.

Mar8

After Iftar Tales arranged by Bismillah Buddies

Posted on March 8, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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After Iftar Tales arranged by Bismillah Buddies

This book’s beautiful dark blue cover with sparkly stars feels good in your hands and looks lovely on the shelf. It is a collection of 10 short stories presumably to be read by an adult to a child or children during Ramadan and has its highs and lows. As often is the case in anthologies, some are written better than others and while I particularly liked two of the stories contained, I couldn’t help wishing that the entire collection would have been better edited. I don’t know any of the authors, or their ages, and there is not an intro or conclusion detailing how the stories were selected or compiled, but as a whole, the grammar errors (spaces before and after commas and periods), failure to spell out numbers less than ten, and the overall plot holes in so many of the stories, makes it hard to love this book. Something about judging a book by it’s cover would seemingly apply here, the illustrations are decent, the topics and themes covered are important, but the finishing is lacking, and the book really had a lot of potential.

SYNOPSIS:
The ten stories cover Ramadan in different ways, and do not get repetitive. With different authors and illustrators and pictures on every other page at a minimum, the books presents well. Many of the stories are adequate, but largely forgettable as the plot holes just made me and my kids dismiss them. A few are too lengthy and wandering, but there are two that even despite writing obstacles, thematically were memorable: “A Ramadan Surprise” by Malika Kahn and “Iftar in Space” by Tayyaba Anwar.

“A Ramadan Surprise” is written in rhyming verse and discusses the need for wheelchair accessibility at masjids. Focusing on a young girl it also hints on the importance of accessibility for the elderly. This is such a needed and important reminder and I love that it is present in a book that is positioned to be read and thus hopefully discussed.

“Iftar in Space” similarly opens itself up to be discussed and marveled at between a child(ren) and an adult: how would you fast and pray if you were on the International Space Station. This connection could then be made for people that live near the poles, and how science is valued in Islam and so much more. I love that Islamic information is seemingly sourced, but I would have loved a line or two at the end clearly articulating that in fact this is what this scholar or these scholars have declared.

WHY I LIKE IT:

At first it didn’t bother me that the text was so small, but mid way through, it started to because the pictures are so inviting and regular. If a child is snuggled up with a reader looking at the pictures it is impossible for them to follow along. I get that that is kind of the point, but with huge margins, the text size can easily be increased.

I don’t know why the book doesn’t seem to have been edited. The cover and illustrations and binding are all decent to high quality, the cost of the book for consumers is high, so I don’t know why an editor was not (seemingly) involved in the process. Sure I am picky, but it isn’t one or two grammar errors, it is a lot, and when it is a regular concern, it ruins the flow and feeling of the book.

Overall, honestly there is also very little Islam present in most stories except for the timing of Ramadan, and many of the stories seem to have gaps. In the first story, a boy is found by a stranger and gifted a lamp, and the family never even tries to find the person who saved their son to thank him? They live in a small village? In one of the stories where a little girls is fasting for the first time she is also making a salad independently and pulling a cooked tray of lasagna out of a hot oven. A child in one story eats moldy candy, and in a contemporary story kids donate their money to an orphanage. Are there still orphanages? In one story it opens with a banner being made that is crooked, but the accompanying illustration does not match. One error or two is easy to overlook, but again, when it is every single story, it is incredibly disappointing.

FLAGS:

Clean

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I think while reading it you would find plenty to discuss with your children. On stories where your children seem bored you could skip them, if sentences don’t make sense you can alter them. I doubt children will read the book independently, so there is some wiggle room to add or subtract from the text to make the points you want to make and keep the stories engaging. There are a few stories that discuss Covid and the frustration that it has caused to daily activities, which might help add another layer of connection to the text.

Mar2

My First Book About Ramadan: Teachings for Toddlers and Young Children by Sara Khan illustrated by Ali Lodge

Posted on March 2, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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My First Book About Ramadan: Teachings for Toddlers and Young Children by Sara Khan illustrated by Ali Lodge

Once again, Sara Khan pushes the standard of what can be conveyed and presented in a toddler board book. This book on Ramadan not only introduces concepts of the blessed month to our littles Muslims, but also provides details that will allow the book to stay relevant even as a child grows. The soft, yet colorful pages allow the book to be engaging and attention holding for ages 2 and up, and provides a great way to get young children looking forward to Ramadan, as well as be read repeatedly during the month. The 26 thick pages have a facts and questions about Ramadan at the end which make the book shareable with non Muslims and the many shapes, colors, cultures, and ages that make up our Muslim communities fill the pages that radiate with joy and love.

The book starts out expressing the excitement of Ramadan, the new moon, and the anticipation. It then talks about how Allah swt wants us to fast from dawn until sunset. It mentions the five pillars, and fasting in Ramadan being one of them, and what it means to fast.

It focuses on doing good deeds to make Allah swt happy. It also dedicates a two page spread to showing who doesn’t have to fast, which answers that inevitably next question that people ask. The book then says that even if you aren’t fasting, there are still blessings everyone enjoys in the month and spends a few pages detailing those activities and acts of worship.

It mentions that Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an and that Laylat al-Qadr is the night of power, but doesn’t give much detail about either. Eid is celebrated at the end and a dua is made referencing a hadith in Bukhari about entering through the gate of Ar-Rayyan.

I love that the book’s tone is that this is what Allah swt wants us to do, and this is what makes Him happy. Even with numerous Ramadan books out there, this one still manages to find a way to be unique, and truly the entire series is enjoyable and beneficial, alhumdulillah.

Nov19

Salaam, with Love by Sara Sharaf Beg

Posted on November 19, 2021 by islamicschoollibrarian

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This 288 page YA contemporary Islamic romcom is very Islamic centered, and the storyline provides some nice twists along the way. Unfortunately the writing is terrible. Not the storytelling or even grammar per se, but the contradictions, errors, underdeveloped characters, and the inconsistencies. Yes I read an uncorrected proof, but this book is a mainstream major publisher presented book coming out in a few weeks, and it is in desperate need of some attention. I really don’t think it is the author’s fault, it reads as if this was a manuscript that got shopped around and picked up and then never refined, polished, and made to sparkle. The only saving grace is that as terrible as it is literary wise, once the main character starts to get over her “internalized islamophobia” (thank you @bintyounus for bringing this concept to my attention), the book as a whole presents a lot of unapologetic specific Islamic content on every single page: how Eid salat is different than normal salat, the beauty of tajweed, the meanings of so many duas and surahs said regularly, the list goes on and on and doesn’t just cover the basics. The flip side is that the characters are in a band that performs Islamic songs, but with instruments and everyone is fine with it, there are artists in the book drawing faces and portraits hang on walls, it is a romance, but it at most an arm or hand is touched and when tropes about Desi college choices are pushed back on the parents break the stereotype and relent. There are threads of cultural-ism within Islam, Islamophobia and a violent near death experience, but the book is very clean and honestly has a lot of potential, I have no idea why it is so sloppy. SO SLOPPY, and I took notes, so buckle up.

SYNOPSIS:

Seventeen year old Dua is an only child and her doctor father and caterer mom are the only Pakistani and only Muslims in their small Virginia town. They decide for Ramadan that they are all going to go and stay with family in Queens, New York for the whole month. They have given Dua less than 48 hours notice to plan to spend the end of her summer with cousins she hasn’t seen in five years. The parents hope that Dua will benefit from being around family, being closer to other Muslims in the month, and enjoy the cultural environment. Dua is not excited, but when bear hugs and genuine smiles meet her at the door, she is sucked in to a bustling house and the happiness and drama that is bound to unfold. Sharing a room with her older, law school bound cousin Mahnoor is by far the hardest relationship to cultivate. Newly engaged, Mahnoor is quiet, reserved and deeply unhappy. Dua makes little progress, but with Ramadan starting and her cousins setting goals for the month, Dua is determined to do better in all aspects of her life. As she gets close to Mahnoor’s best friend, Haya, she also gets closer to Haya’s brother Hassan. It is Ramadan though, and she isn’t good around boys, but Hassan is a hafiz and is helping her reach her memorization goals for the month, Hassan is also in a band and needs Dua’s help. When Mahnoor’s engagement is called off to Haya and Hassan’s brother, everything comes to a standstill between the families, but when a cousin is shot, the families come back together to support one another and deal with their decisions and their outcomes. By the end of Ramadan, every character has changed and grown and is sad the month is over and that Dua and her family are leaving.

WHY I LIKE IT:

Suffice it to say I love how Islam centered it is. I honestly checked the publishing information because of how much Islamic content is included, also for the amount of errors. The book did not start off well for me with Dua trying to separate herself from her “religious” cousins. The ones who practice communally and wear hijab. She was not like “them” and the dichotomy of measuring religiosity as acceptable or not, too much or too little, enrages me. It sets up that she practices Islam but in a relaxed manner and has been taught by her parents, and it is who she is, but it isn’t a huge part of her life. As the story progresses, it seems that she just doesn’t know a ton of surahs, she actually is pretty religious, and devout, it is very awkward and not presented clearly, which is why I attributed it more to her being in denial or embarrassed by her identity, not about her level of belief. Dua is also not like-able, she is incredible privileged and arrogant commenting on the size of houses and rooms, and her shoes. About half way through she starts to comes across as clumsy, not sure then why is she always wearing heels. Ultimately she is just not well-developed and often reads like an annoying helpless child. The framing of Dua being a musician and not being so religious is quickly questioned as she gifts her cousins music paraphernalia, and looks at portraits on their walls. If most are like me, and both families are praying, fasting, reading Quran, active musicians and artists and ok with hanging pictures, one would assume they are pretty in-syc with one another on their religious views and in practice.

Dua is not the only character that is poorly voiced, fractured, and inconsistent. Her parents are so unrealistic and awkward in the beginning I physically cringed reading them telling her their reasons for going to New York. In the car on the way, they even quiz Dua on her cousins names. She hasn’t seen them in five years, she isn’t a toddler, she should know their names, she has clearly purchased incredibly personalized gifts for them, and is filled with detailed memories of when they all met up in Pakistan together, the whole scene is pointless. One of the cousins, Ibrahim, is blind and Dua says that a few years ago her parents had to explain to her what it meant to be blind. Seriously? I get the learning how to let him take the lead and how to interact, but you as a teenager didn’t know what it means to be blind? When you met him in Pakistan you didn’t know he was blind? The four year old cousin is cute and adorable, and has the vocabulary and mannerisms of a seven or eight year old at times, most times. The 12 year old cousin has the wisdom of an old uncle and why do none of the adults in the book seem to work? The book probably should have started at chapter five, it seems the book hits a bit of a stride that at least makes it readable.

A huge plot of the book is the band, Sheikh, Rattle, and Roll, but the details about it are terrible. Mahnoor is walking out the door and her mom tells her to take Dua. The reader doesn’t know where they are going, but Mahnoor reluctantly agrees and they head out on the subway. Mahnoor constantly is telling Dua to hurry so they aren’t late and miss it, when they arrive, the band performs one song and that is when Hassan and Dua and Haya all meet. But the other two band members are her cousins, she is staying in their house. What? Rabia is constantly talking, that is her character quirk, how does Dua not know that they are performing? Not know they are in a band? No way would it not be mentioned. And why only one song? That is so random. At the end when they perform again on Eid, it is a concert, it is again only one song. A concert is not one song. Do they not practice or load up equipment, how is all this going on in one house and Dua is so clueless?

The inconsistencies are aplenty. A few examples: it says her cousin doesn’t wear make-up, a few chapters later has a whole face of make-up, on Eid she even does Dua’s make-up. When they all are sitting down to write their lists of plans for Ramadan it says they don’t have to share their lists. Yet a few lines later Dua is singled out in a very creepy way to share hers. In a single paragraph it says that at home she prays fajr half asleep, or late and in a rush before school, but concludes the description by complaining that praying in congregation is more difficult for her to focus in. Huh? praying while half asleep or in a rush gives you more focus than praying in jammah? Even non Muslims are going to be scratching their heads. At one point as Dua is trying to figure out what she wants to study and if she wants to start an MSA in her high school, since she is the only Muslim, she internally discusses how she wants to prove herself to her parents. Then when she decides what she wants to do for her, she remarks that she isn’t just doing it to prove to her parents, but because she wants it for her. The only problem is, no where have we seen or has it been established that her parents are requiring this proof.

There are odd errors as well. The athan on a phone goes off, the Uncle reaches in to his pocket for his phone and turns off his iPad. That is a big pocket indeed. Dua gifts Hassan a CD, really a CD? What is this 1999? Who gifts CDs in 2021? Dua starts playing a keyboard in someone elses house and no one mentions it other than the two people with her, how big is the house that you can’t hear it? The Uncle gets upset that Dua doesn’t pray Asr right at time, but a lot of people prefer Asr specifically to be prayed later within the time frame. In a two chapter frame it mentions letting out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding three times, word for word the same.

I was genuinely surprised that music being questionable was not brought up at all, two of the bandmates are huffaz. The author lets her own qualifiers slip in, perhaps her own desire to not take a stand that could seem alienating. She says, “allegedly” the time right before iftar is the best time to make dua. As Dua tries to figure out what is going on with Hassan she often remarks how it is hard or confusing “especially because he is Muslim.” Would a relationship with a non Muslim be ok, less hard, more hard? There is no lowering of any gazes, which for as religious as everyone in the book is, should have at least been mentioned even if not adhered to. The book puts on odd stress on tasbeehs and kufis, not sure why.

I do like the genuine love the characters have for Islam, Allah, Ramadan, salat. It is so much a part of every thing they do, and it is lovely. I also love Dua’s friend in Virginia, Kat, she is fasting in solidarity and wants to join the MSA even though she isn’t Muslim, but a seemingly amazing friend.

FLAGS:

The on-gain-off-again engaged couple do touch hands at Eid prayer. Hassan touches Duas arm when she is perceived as helpless. There are anti Islam protests and an angry man shoots Adam.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

If the sloppiness gets resolved, the book could be used as a high school book club choice. Those girls love them some halal romance, and this book is incredibly religious and clean.

Jul13

Eid al-Adha: Festivals Around the World by Grace Jones

Posted on July 13, 2021 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Eid al-Adha: Festivals Around the World by Grace Jones

I had hoped to go through all the recently published non fiction hajj and Eid al-Adha books at my local library, the same way I went through the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr ones to check for errors and accuracy, but they really didn’t have many, and those that they did have were not published in the last few years. I did find this book from 2017 and because it has some errors: saying Eid is in September every year, not mentioning all the parts of Hajj, which is ok, but overly stressing the stoning at the jamarat, pronouncing Hajj as Harj, etc., I thought to share it with you all, so that you too can contact the publisher and your local library and/or bookstore to see about pulling it if you are so inclined (booklifepublishing.com)

The 24 page non fiction book is a large 9.5×12 horizontal layout with beautiful pictures of diverse Muslims worshipping and celebrating. A little cartoon character, Noor, guides you to word pronunciation with a glossary at the end.The book starts out with a two page spread defining what a festival is. The next two pages define Islam. Page 8 then states that “Eid al-Adha is a festival celebrated by Muslims in September of every year.” And page 9 of the book says we throw pebbles at a wall, not that we throw pebbles at three representative pillars. It also says that Eid is celebrated for two to four days depending on the country. Religiously, it should say it is a three day holiday.

It then tells the Story of Eid al-Adha aka Ibrahim (as) being to told to sacrifice his son. I’m not sure why the book doesn’t says that Muslim’s consider Ibrahim a Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and instead call him a wise man. Indeed he was, but it seems very awkward to not mention how Muslims regard him, and seems to go out of its way to not say he is a prophet in Islam.

The next section is about Hajj which tells that it is performed in the last month of the Islamic year and that we walk around the kaaba seven times. No other info is given, but in the next section it again mentions the throwing of pebbles, really dismissing any other steps and making the sacrifice and stoning rituals seem to be the whole of Hajj which is incredibly misleading and erroneous.

The book shows that those not at Hajj, pray in congregation wearing new clothes, give and receive gifts and giving charity. In the section about Festive Food it only Buriyani from India is featured, it seems random. It should have been stronger that one third of the sacrifice goes to the poor, one third to friends and family, and one can be kept for oneself. This would show that meat is the highlighted festival foods in any culture celebrating. On the “Noor Says” page at the end, it has Hajj pronounced as “harj” which is wrong, it is Hajj, or possibly hadj.

My standards have dropped considerably, and would sadly not consider much of this major. But, it does provide another example of how involved and aware we need to be in our representation in mainstream nonfiction publications.

Apr29

Rumaysa: A Fairytale by Radiya Hafiza illustrated by Rhaida El Touny

Posted on April 29, 2021 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Rumaysa: A Fairytale by Radiya Hafiza illustrated by Rhaida El Touny

This middle grades retelling of the classic fairytales: Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, replaces white characters with diverse Desi characters, reclaims female characters’ empowerment, and weaves the stories together with Rumaysa first freeing herself, and then using a magic necklace that takes her to those in need (Cinderayla and Sleeping Sara) in her quest to find her long lost parents. After a few chapters, I started writing a list of gaping-huge-ginormous plot holes, they are frequent and laughable, then I took a deep breath and recalled the similar eye-rolling inconsistencies that plague perhaps all fairy tales, but specifically Disney-esque ones. Once I let go of trying to understand why Rumaysa is wearing hijab while locked in an isolated tower, or how the witch can’t remember her name, but Rumaysa knows the name her parents gave her when she was kidnapped on the day of her birth, or that she knows she was kidnapped and her whole backstory, just to name a few, the book was much more enjoyable. I still have major issues with some of the forced Islamization and cultural tweaks, but not because they existed, but rather because they weren’t strong enough. Why have an Eid ball for all the fair maidens in the land. It was awkward to read all the young people showing up to pair off, and then people asking the prince to dance, and him saying he didn’t know if he could. Why not just make it an over the top Desi wedding with families, where dancing and moms working to pair their kids off is the norm. Having it be a ball for the maidens in the land, just seemed like it was afraid to commit to the premise of twisting the fairytales completely. There are a few inconsistencies, however, that I cannot overlook. This is a mainstream published books and there is at least one spelling error and grammar mistake. I could be wrong, as it is British, and I am by no means competent in even American English, but I expect better. Even content wise, Prince Harun for example, is wearing a mask, but the text comments on his blushing cheeks, eyes, eyelashes, and smile, not a typical mask perhaps? And don’t get me started on the illustrations, the same awkward ball has Ayla leaving, and in the picture not wearing a mask concealing her face as the text states. Overall, the inside illustrations are not well done. The cover, by artist Areeba Siddique is beautiful with the shimmery leafing on the edges, that would have brought the inside pages a lot more depth and intrigue than the ones it contains. Despite all the aforementioned glimpses of my critiques to follow, I didn’t hate the book and quite enjoyed the light handed morals and feminism that was interwoven with clever remarks and snark. The first story has Rumaysa wearing hijab, finding a book about salat and praying. The second story takes place on Eid and Ayla eats samosas, discusses Layla and Majnun, and has a duputta. The third story I don’t recall any culture or religious tidbits other than keeping with the consistency of cultural names. There is mention of romance between an owl who has a crush on a Raven, but the heroines themselves are learning to be self sufficient from errors of their parents/guardians and are not looking for any males to save them. Other than that the book really needs an editor and new illustrations, I can see fairytale loving middle grade kids reading the book and finding it enjoyable, or even younger children having it read aloud to them a few chapters at a time, and being drawn in to the stories and eager to see what happens next. It would work for that demographic, but perhaps no one else.

SYNOPSIS: (spoilers)

Rumaysa’s parents steal vegetables from a magical garden when there is no food or work to be found, as a result when Rumaysa is born, the owner of the garden, an evil witch, takes Rumaysa and places her in a tower protected by an enchanted forest and a poisonous river. No one can get in, and Rumaysa cannot get out. In the tower Rumaysa reads, no idea how she learned, and spins straw in to gold as she sings a song that channels the magic she consumed in utero from the stolen garden. With only rations of oats to eat, a friendly owl named Zabina frequents Rumays daily and brings her berries and news . When he brings her a new hijab, Rumaysa has the idea to lengthen the hijab with bits of gold over time, so that she might escape. When she finally gets her chance, she is met by a boy on a magic carpet named Suleiman, and is both shocked and annoyed that someone got close to the tower, and only after she saved herself. The two however, and Zabina, are caught by the witch and must escape her as well. When that is all said and done, Suleiman gives Zabina a necklace that takes one to someone in need of help. His parents want him to save a princess, he wants to study in his room, so he hands off the necklace hoping it will help Rumaysa find her parents, and he heads off on his flying carpet.

The necklace doesn’t transport Rumaysa to her parents, however, it takes her to a street where a girl is throwing rocks in desperation having been denied attending an Eid ball after her dress was torn to shreds. The story starts with Ayla’s back story before Rumaysa arrives, but the two girls befriend each other, Rumaysa uses her magic gold weaving abilities to conjure up a new and beautiful dress and golden shoes and the girls head to the ball. When Ayla heads off to get samosas she meets the prince, but doesn’t know he is the prince. They argue about the play Layla and Majnun and when her stepmother asks about the dress, Rumaysa and Ayla make a run for it. A shoe is lost, the stepmother comes to know, the guards search for the missing girl, and all is well. Except Harun is incredibly shallow and superficial and only interested in Ayla’s clothes and status, so she rejects him and points out that she is much too young for marriage. She instead reclaims her home, fixes her relationship with her stepsisters and begs Rumaysa to stay. Rumaysa makes her excuses and is whisked away to a land that is being ruled by a man and his dragons.

Originally the land of Farisia is ruled by King Emad and Queen Shiva, but they have become unjust and disconnected from their people. When Azra gets a chance to steal Princess Sara and take the kingdom, he does. Rumaysa arrives to free a sleeping Sara from the dragon and restore apologetic and reformed leaders to the thrown.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I do like the spinning of familiar stories and either updating them, or twisting them, or fracturing them, so I am glad to see an Islamic cultural tinge available. I feel like the first story was the strongest conceptually even if the details and morals weren’t well established. The second story was strong in the messaging that Ayla, and any girl, is more than just a pretty dress, but the premise was a little shaky and not that different from the original. The third story was a little lacking developmentally for me and all three I felt could have gone stronger in to the religion and culture without alienating readers or becoming heavy. There are characters illustrated in hijab, some in saris, some in flowing robes. Princess Sara is noted to be a larger body type and I appreciated that in elevating the heroines, other’s weren’t put down. Even within the book, there is diversity which is wonderful.

FLAGS:

There is lying and stealing with consequences. “Shut up” is said. There is magic, death, destruction, and a brief mention of an avian crush.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I could see this being used in a classroom for a writing assignment to urge students to write their own tales. I think it is fourth or fifth grade that children read fairytales from different points of view: think the three little pigs from the wolf’s perspective or the Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, and this book would lend itself easily to that lesson as well.